Resistance welding machine



p E. ,J. R. JAMES 2,384,924 RESISTANCE WELDING AQHINE original Filed Jdl 15, 194; s Sheets-Sheet 1 Ara f Sept. 18, 1945. '5. J. P. JAMES RESISTANCE WELDING MACHINE ori ina'l Filed July 15, 1942 3' Sheets-Sheet 2 awn .25M

p 4 E. J. P. -'JAMES RESISTANCE WELDING MACHINE s Sheet-Sheet 3 Origin a1 m} July 15, 1942 Patented Sept. 18, 1945 RESISTANCE WELDING MACHINE Edmond J. P. James, Canal Fulton, Ohio, assignor to Packard Motor Car Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Original application July 15, 1942, Serial No. 450,951. Divided and this application October 5, 1944, Serial No. 557,242

8 Claims.

This invention relates to welding machines and more particularly to resistance welding machines, this application being a division of my application Serial No. 450,951, filed July 15, 1942.

The welding together of circular work pieces has been accomplished by resistance welding machines in which a work carrying electrode is rotated while engaged by a driven roller electrode. Welding current is supplied intermittently to the electrodes and the current application is exactly timed for extremely short equal intervals in synchronized relation with the rotational speed of the work piece when a chain weld is to be made. The timing of the application of the welding current in relation to rotational speed and the main- I tenance of a definite electrode pressure is essential to this type of resistance welding. The timing of the welding circuit and the maintenance of a desired electrode pressure presents no problem when the work pieces to be welded are circular because they travel in the same path between the electrodes and at a surface speed that is uniform relative to the speed of the driven roller electrode.

When the work pieces to be welded are out-ofround, for example, elliptical, their surface speed will vary relative to the speed of the driven electrode and the path of travel relative to the pressure electrode will vary and thereby vary the pressure effect of such electrode. As the timing or the current application must be exactly synchronized with the surface speed of the work pieces and as the electrode-pressure must be uniform, difliculties have been encountered in resistance welding work pieces that are out-ofround and an object of this invention is to provide a welding machine in which such difliculties are eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a resistance welding machine having rotated electrodes for welding out-of-round work pieces in which the surface speed of the work pieces is maintained uniform during a welding operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. welding machine of the resistance type in which a roller electrode is held under uniform pressure while engaging a rotated out-of-round work piece during a welding operation.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, which form a part of this speciflcation, and. in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a welding machine, partly broken away, incorporating the invention;

Fi 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 6

Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective view of the upper portion of the machine showing the roller electrode and the electrode driving mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of an engine cylinder structure welded together by the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional perspective View of the driven electrode having the work pieces applied thereto and showing the thermocouple for the driven electrode;

Fig. 6 is a. perspective view of the driven electrode, cylinder and holding mechanism;

Fig. '7 is a schematic diagram of the control.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the welding machine frame I0 includes a base II, a head l2, a front standard i3 joining the base and the head, and a rear housing 14. A platform I5 is supported on pedestal l6 and journaled on post I! fixed to the machine frame. The front standard has an opening. across the lower portion and conductor plate l8 extends over the lower part of the opening for engagement by the rear Wall of the platform. Insulation I9 can be arranged between plate I8 and the front standard and bolts 20 can be used to secure the platform and plate to the standard. A transformer secondary 2! is arranged in housing I4 at the rear of the opening in the front standard and has a leg 22 attached to the rear face of plate l8.

A driven work holding electrode structure is supported on platform IS. A supporting carrier 23 having a journal bearing 24 is suitably secured on the platform, see Fig, 5, and through the bearing extends a sleeve shaft 25 on the end of which issplined a gear 26. On the forward projecting end of the shaft is a radial flange 21 and a thrust bearing 28 is arranged between this flange and the forward end of bearing 24.

The welding machine is designed to join a pair of sleeve-like work pieces which can be an engine cylinder barrel 32 and a sheet metal water jacket 33. The peripheral surfaces to be joined are shown out-of-round and are elliptical in form. The cylinder has radially projecting flanges :34 and 35 having elliptical peripheries similar to and over which the preformed elliptical jacket can be telescoped by endwise application. Flange 35 is part of a head wall 36 having fuel inlet and exhaust outlet ports 31 extending therethrough. It is proposed to form the barrel and head as castings or forgings that are welded together prior to application of the jacket, and the jacket can be formed of high carbon steel, such as stainless steel. The abutting surfaces of the flanges and the jacket are welded together circularly to seal a water space between the flanges. The work pieces are joined by sea-m or chain welding of the resistance type in which current passes through the work pieces and the electrodes during pressure application.

The forward end of shaft is arranged to provide a pilot for adapter 29 and has bosses 30 arranged to extend into the inlet and outlet valve openings 31 in the cylinder barrel head wall. The adapter also has radial flanges 3|, one of which is coextensive with the barrel head flange and the other of which lies adjacent flange 21 when mounted on the shaft pilot. The cylinder barrel is supported at its skirt end by adapter means including a sleeve member 38 and a core member 39. The sleeve member has a bearing on the core member and abuts barrel flange 34 at one end and a radial flange 40 on the core member at the other end. The core member projects through an opening in a carrier bar 4| and is supported therein by bearing 42. The end of the core projecting through the supporting bar is threaded and nut 43 is screwed thereon to hold the core in position with the bar.

Carrier arms 44 extend in opposite directions from journal bearing 24 and are parallel with the carrier bar. Cylinders 45 are fixed to arms 44 and contain pistons 45 to which rods 45 are connected. These rods extend through arms 44 and the carrier bar and retaining nuts 41 are screwed on the ends thereof. The pistons are actuated by power means, such as fluid pressure, and conduits 48 are connected with the cylinders for this purpose. The pistons and rods can be actuated to act on the carrier bar so that the.

adapter member 38 will press the barrel against the adjacent adapter flange 3| and in turn hold the adapter 29 in driven contact with flange 21 on shaft 25. The cylinder barrel will thus be rotated with shaft 25.

Cooperating with the carrier electrode tructure for the work pieces is another roller electrode structure that serves to engage the outer work piece in line with the innermost of flanges 34 or 35, depending upon which end of the barrel is in advance when the barrel is applied to the carrier electrode structure. The roller electrode structure includes a peripherally knurled roller 50 mounted on a sectional shaft 5| supported by a bearing head member 52. The electrode structure is fixed to a carrier structure 53 by bolts 54 and a current conductor member 55 is secured by the bolts 54 to the bearing head member, suitable insulation being provided between the member 55 and the carrier structure 53. Current can flow through conductor 55, bearing head member 52, shaft 51 and roller 50.

The position of the roller relative to the jacket is determined by the carrier structure position which is controlled by fluid pressure. The carrier structure is suitably mounted on guide means 55 forming part of the machine frame head l2 and an actuator rod 51 is attached to the carrier. The rod is fixed to a piston 58 in cylinder 59 and a pressure system is connected with the cylinder to regulate the vertical position of the piston and roller electrode structure. This system includes a tank 60 into which air is moved through conduit 403 from a suitable pump (not shown). Air in the tank is maintained at uniform pressure and conduits 6| connect the tank with the ends of the cylinder. Pressure relief valves 64 are interposed in conduits 6i and suitable fourway solenoid controlled valve means 229, see Fig. l, is employed to control air flow between the tank and the cylinder through either one of the conduits 6|.

When air flows into the cylinder through upper conduit 6|, the roller electrode will be engaged under predetermined pressure against the barrel jacket. As the out-of-round jacket makes a complete revolution, the roller electrode will be shifted vertically and, without pressure equalizing in the cylinder and supply means, pressure of the roller against the jacket would vary. With the relief valves and the supply tank, constant pressure of the roller against the jacket is maintained.

The knurled periphery of the roller electrode is engaged and driven by a knurled driving roller 65. This roller is driven by shaft 66 on which sprocket 61 is fixed. Chain 68, driven by sprocket 69, extends around idler sprocket I0 and sprocket 81. Sprocket 69 is fixed to shaft 1| driven by bevel gear 12. Shafts 66 and H and the journal for sprocket 10 are carried by suitable bearings formed as a part of or fixed to member 52. An electric motor 13 is suitably mounted in housing 14 and through suitable mechanism drives gear 75 fixed to jointed shaft 16 for driving bevel gear 11. Drive is transmitted from gear 71 to gear 12 by shaft 18 through means of gears 19 and 80, such shaft being mounted in bearings carried by the head bearing supporting structure slidable in guide means 56. Shaft 16 is formed of sections connected by universal joints so that it can flex with the vertical movement of the carrier.

Gear 26 for rotating the work pieces is driven from shaft 16 so that the rotation of the roller electrode will be synchronized with rotation of the carrier electrode on which the work pieces are mounted. Gear is fixed on shaft 16 and meshes with gear 86 fixed on vertical shaft 81. Gear 88 fixed on shaft 8! drives gear 89 fixed on shaft 90 and gear 9| is fixed on shaft 90 and meshes with gear 26. Gear 26 corresponds in shape to the barrel jacket so that the surface speed of the elliptical jacket on which the roller electrode engages will be uniform during each revolution of the barrel. As the rotation of the electrodes is uniform and the timing of the intermittent applications of current is uniform, temperature will be regulated to produce efficient welding. This temperature control and uniform roller pressure will provide efficient welding unobtainable with either variable electrode pressure orvariable timing periods relative to surface con tact speed.

The driving roller shaft 65 can be carried by a hanger I00 pivotally supported on bracket l0l fixed to the bearing member 52 above the hanger, and a guide bolt I02 is fixed to the hanger and projects through the bracket. Spring I03 surrounds the guide bolt and urges the hanger in a direction to hold the wheel 05 in driving engagement with the roller electrode 50. This arrangement of the drive wheel with the roller electrode is provided to keep the knurled periphery of the electrode in the most desirable dressed condition.

As previously related, drive gear 26 is elliptical and rotates shaft 25 mounted in a fixed journal. Drive shaft 90 is flexible and has a supporting bearing I04, adjacent gear 9|, formed with ears I05 that straddle a rib on carrier 23 and are pivotally connected thereto by pin I06. Gear 8| is held in mesh with gear 26 through flexible means in the form of a spring I01 surrounding guide bolt I08 and arranged between a. flange 103 on shaft 25.

the shaft supporting bearing and flange H "on the carrier rib.

The carrier for the cylinder barrel and sleeve constitutes one electrode structure and roller '50, shaft and head 52, the other electrode structure. There is an expansible arbor Ill and a tapered expander member I I2 for the arbor that constitute part of the rotatable electrode structure. This arbor is in the form of an interiorly tapered sleeve that is slit for a portion ofits length and receives the tapered expander. The sleeve anbor is designed to be inserted in the cylinder barrel so that it contacts therewith between flanges 34 and 35. The core member 39 will press the expander into the arbor and ex pand it into contact with the cylinder barrel when the piston rods 46 are operated to act on the bar M to seat and hold the barrel on the adapter 29 whereby they will be rotated by drive The anbor thus forms a part of the electrode for conducting heat to the barrel.

.The transformer secondar 2| is fixed to conductor plate I8 that is in contact with carrier 23. This plate, cylinder barrel supporting structure and arbor are formed of suitable material to conduct current from the transformer to the cylinder barrel. The transformer has a free upper leg 126 that has angular conductor elements I2! secured thereto and to the conductor member 55. These conductor elements l2l are flexible to permit vertical movement of the attached electrode structure. The shaft 5| and supporting bearing member are formed of material such that current will flow from conductor elements I2 I to the roller electrode.

The control for the welding system, heating system and fluid system for raising and lowering the roller electrode structure is shown schematically in Fig. '7. The transformer primary 260 is connected by conductor 20l with power line 262 and is connected by conductor 293 with a contactor power tube means 204, such tube means being connected by conductor 205 with power line 206. The power control tube means is of conventional design and controls the electrical weldi ing circuit from the primary welding conductors, or power lines, to the transformers and is suitably mounted on control panel 201. A timer switch 208 is mounted on or adjacent the control panel and is connected with the power tulbe means by a pair of conductors 209. The electrical'systern also includes a pair of control lines or conductors 2H! and 2| I. A conductor 2I2 leads from conductor 2m to relay M3 and includes a hand operated switch 214 and a solenoid switch 2|5. The rela 2 l 3 is connected to control timer switch 288 and switch H5 is arranged to be controlled by relay 2l6. Switches 2 and 215 are in series and *both must be closed to complete the circuit to the timer switch which controls the operation of the power tube in the welding circuit.

Provision is made to preheat the cylinder barrel to a predetermined temperature prior to the weld ing operation and to continue such temperature for a period of time after the welding operation. A contactor power tube means of conventional design 2ll is suitably mounted on a panel 2l8 and is connected with power line 266 by conductor M9. The tube is connected by a tap conductor 226 with the transformer 200 so that when the circuit is made, a limited current flows through the transformers and electrodes to heat the cylinder barrel when the electrodes are in welding position. The tube means controlling the preheat circuit is under the control of a switch MI tion.

actuated by relay 222 which is connected with conductor 2| I by conductor 22.3. A conductor 224 connects the relay 222 with conductors 2l2 and 2H) and switches 225 and 226 arranged in series. Switch 225 is connected to operate with switch 2 I 5 in response to relay 2 l 6 and switch 226 is arranged to be operated manually. In order-to establish the heating circuit, it is necessary that switches 225 and 226 both are closed.

For sake of convenience, a switch 221 controls the circuit to solenoid valve 229 that regulates air flow to the cylinder for raising and lowering the roller electrode and is connected to be operated by the'same treadle 230' that operates switch 226. Switches 226 and 221 are normally open and are closed by the treadle, the arrangement being such that switch 221 will be closed upon light depression of the treadle and will remain closed while the treadle is further depressed to close switch 226. In this manner the fluid Dressure will bring the welding roller into welding pressure engagement with the cylinder Jacket prior to and while switch 226 is closed.

Relay H6 is controlled by thetemperature of the barrel so that the heating circuit switch 225 will be opened while the welding circuit switch H5 is closed. The relay is connected by conductcrs 230 and 23l with a thermocouple 232 arranged preferably within adapter 29 and in thermal contact with the end wall 36 of the cylinder barrel. Below a predetermined barrel temperature relay 2 l6 causes switch 225 to be closed and switch 2I5 to be open and above such temperature switch 2 l 5 is closed and switch 225 is opened. A thermostat switch 233 can be arranged in conductor 23l to control the temperature at which the thermocouple is effective to open and close the switches.

The electrical control, in the relation shown in Fig. 7, i ineffective to lower the roller electrode, to heat the barrel or to perform a welding opera- After placing the barrel and jacket in proper relation to each other and on the carrier, the motor 13 can be started by a suitable switch (not shown) to cause rotation of the roller electrode. The switch 225 is closed and the treadle 236' is depressed sufficiently to close switch 221, but not switch 226. Solenoid valve 229 .will be shifted down to admit air pressure to the top of piston 58 to thu lower the roller electrode into welding pressure engagement with the 'jacket. The treadle 221 is next further depressed to close switch 226 which energizes relay 222 to close switch 22| controlling the power tube between conductors 2L9 and 220 so that current will flow through a portion of the transformer primary and conductor 20L This circuit energizes the electrodes causing the cylinder barrel to heat up.

When the cylinder barrel reaches a predetermined temperature, that is, sufliciently preheated for the welding operation, the thermocouple infiuences relay 216 to cause switch 225to open and switch 215 to close. Opening switch 225 will break the heating circuit, and closing switch 2l5 will establish the control circuit to the timer switch relay which will establish and control the Welding circuit through the tube means 2M be tween conductors 203 and 265 so that current will flow through conductors 203, 2M and the transformer from the welding power lines. The timer switch is preferably of the character whereby a chain or stitch welding operation is provided.

When the cylinder barrel has made a complete revolution during the welding operation of the machine, switch 2 i4 is opened to break the welding circuit even though the thermocouple retains the switch 2|5 closed. During the welding operation the treadle has been depressed to maintain switch 221 closed so that the roller electrode will remain pressed against the barrel jacket. If the treadle has been released sufilciently to open switch 226, it is again depressed to close switch 226 and when the barrel cools down to below the before-mentioned predetermined temperature,

switch 225 will close and again establish the heatingcircuit which will continue to maintain the barrel heated until the treadle is released to open switch 228. Further release of the treadle will open switch 22! releasing solenoid valve 229 so that it will move upwardly allowing air flow to the underside of piston 58 and thereby raising the roller electrode from the barrel jacket. The welded barrel and jacket are now ready to be removed from the machine, and can be reversed endwise on the machine to weld the other end of the jacket to barrel fiange 34 in a manner similar to that just described.

It will be understood that various forms of the invention other than that described above may be used without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for resistance welding. telescoped out-of-round work pieces together, a carrier electrode structure on which the interior work piece is fixed, means supporting said carrier structure for rotation on a constant axis, a roller electrode structure for engaging the exterio work piece, means for supplying uniformly timed welding current intermittently to said electrode structures, and drive means for rotating the carrier electrode structure so that the surface speed of the out-of-round work piece fixed thereon is uniform.

2. In a machine for resistance welding telescoped out-of-round work pieces together, an elec trode structure on which the interior work piece is fixed, means supporting said carrier structure for rotation on a constant axis, means for rotating said electrode structure, a roller electrode structure for engaging the exterior work piece, means for supplying uniformly timed welding current intermittently to said electrode structures, and means holding the roller electrode against the exterior work piece at uniform pressure during 1 work piece rotation.

3. In a machine for resistance welding telescoped out-of-round Work pieces together, an electrode structure on which the interior work piece is fixed, means supporting said structure for rotation on a constant axis, means for rotating the electrode structure to maintain a uniform surface speed for the work pieces, a roller electrode structure for engaging the outer work piece, means for supplying uniformly timed welding current intermittently to said electrodes, means for rotating said roller electrode at a uniform speed, and means for maintaining the roller electrode under uniform pressure against the exterior Work piece during rotation thereof.

4. In a machine for joining telescoped elliptical work pieces together circumferentially by intermittent Welding operations, a carrier electrode on which the inner work piece is fixed, means supporting said carrier for rotation on a constant axis, a roller electrode for engaging the outer work piece, means for supplying uniformly timed welding current intermittently to said electrodes, 8. drive shaft connected to rotate the carrier electrode, an elliptical gear fixed to the shaft, and a power driven gear in mesh with the elliptical gear, said gears driving the shaft to rotate the peripheries of the work pieces at a uniform speed.

5. In a machine for resistance welding out-ofround telescoped work pieces together circumferentially, a carrier electrode on which the inner work piece is fixed, means supporting said carrier electrode for rotation on a constant axis, a roller electrode driven at a uniform speed and engageable with the outer work piece, means for supplying unifonmly timed welding current intermittently to said electrodes, means for rotating the carrier electrode so that the surface speed of the Work pieces is uniform, and fluid pressure means maintaining the roller electrode in uniform pressure relation with the outer work piece while engaged therewith during rotation of the work pieces.

6. In a machine for resistance welding tele- -scoped out-of-round work pieces together, a carrier electrode structure on which the inner work piece is fixed, means supporting said carrier structure for rotation on a constant axis, a power driven roller electrode structure for engaging the outer work piece, means for supplying uniformly timed welding current intermittently to said electrode structures, and means for rotating said carrier electrode to maintain a uniform work piece surface speed.

7. In a resistance welding machine for circumferentially joining telescoped out-of-round work members, a carrier electrode on which the inner work piece is fixed, means supporting said carrier electrode for rotation on a constant axis a pressure roller electrode engaging the outer work piece, means operative to hold the roller in constant pressure relation against the outer work piece, means for supplying uniformly timed welding current intermittently to said electrodes, a shaft connected to rotate said carrier electrode, a gear fixed to .the shaft and corresponding in peripheral shape to the work pieces, a drive gear engaging the gear fixed to the shaft, 9, pivoted mounting for the drive gear, and spring means holding the drive gear in mesh with the gear on said shaft.

8. In a machine for resistance welding out-ofround telescoped work pieces having a rotatable carrier electrode structure fixed in the inner work piece, a roller electrode structure engageable with the outer work piece, and means supporting said carrier structure for rotation on a constant axis, a fluid system controlling the position of said roller electrode structure relative to said outer work piece, means in said system for maintaining a uniform pressure of the roller electrode structure against the outer work piece while rotating with the inner work piece fixed to the carrier electrode structure, and means for controlling the pressure application of the fluid system to engage or release the roller electrode structure relative to the outer work piece.

EDMOND J. P. JAMES. 

